In Pursuit Of Memory

Most people have had Alzheimer’s creep into their lives. In the UK alone there are over 850,000 sufferers. Memories slowly trickle away, confusion increases, violent tempers flare and short term memories no longer stick. The body of a once bright and vital human becomes little more than a shell. The pain isn’t just for the sufferer. The family and loved ones of Alzheimer’s sufferers have to pay witness to this disease as it tangles itself around the brain, slowly strangling all function.

Joseph Jebelli is one of those family members. As a child he watched his grandfather succumb to the disease and has made fighting understanding and a cure a focus of his life as a neuroscientist. In Pursuit Of Memory traces the past, present, and future of the disease, the failures, the triumphs and the treatments available today.

This book is loaded with research, from the discovery of the disease, the bizarre early treatments, through to the medical advances today. It can get a little academic in parts, and I had to make sure I was focussed reading it to get a grasp, but these parts are few and far between. For the most part, it’s extremely interesting and the way Jebelli weaves human stories whilst sharing his own memories creates a special book which blends medical history and research with the warmth and emotion of family. If it wasn’t for families offering up their bodies for tests and research, then we wouldn’t have the advances and knowledge today.

Who Should Read In Pursuit Of Memory?

Anyone trying to understand Alzheimer’s, or who has a loved one suffering, should pick up In Pursuit Of Memory. So should anyone with an interest in medical research. The research is vast, from the UK, America, Japan, even the jungles of Papua New Guinea. Joseph Jebelli calls on papers, research and points of view from world-class experts in the disease to create a unique history of the disease.

There are a couple of references to animal experimentation, particularly on mice, so if you have strong views on animal testing, you have been warned.

Overall, In Pursuit Of Memory is an important read, one which I never would have picked up if it wasn’t offered to me, and I would be poorer for it. Joseph Jebelli demonstrates a great passion for his work and his lifelong goal to understand, treat, and ultimately cure one of the largest, and most cruel human disease.

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